Binding-strap tightener



S. J. ORNSTON. BINDING STRAP TIGHTENER.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10. 19:9. 1,353,973.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR. J 10 NEYl/ Omvsrow,

A TTORNEYS.

SJ. 0RNSTON= BINDING STRAP TIGHTENEH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1919.

EET 2 ,Pmfiamlefi Sept. 2.

2 SHEETS-SH INVENTOR. dflwvg d aim-WW N p ATTORNEYS.

PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY J. ORNSTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. I

nrn nme sr'nsr TIGHTENER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that- I, SIDNEY J- ORiIs'roN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bind ing -Strap Tighteners, of which the followin is a specification. I

, yimprovements relate to appliances for drawing taut metallicbinding straps, (either those formed of wire or those consisting of strips of greater width than thickness in cross section) around andupon packages of various kinds,the overlapping ends of such binding straps when .thus tightly drawn togetherbeing then rigidly attached to each other while the band is still held taut by the tightening appliance, in a manner well known in a general Way in the prior stateof the art. 1 V

The object of my invention is to aflord a simple, inexpensive but eii'ective strap tightener of the characterdesignated, adapt ed for use in. connection with both metallic strip and wire binders, which canbe expedi tiously applied and'actuated in a convenient manner, and which is at the same time of strong and substantial structure, and well adapted to the varying requirements and exigencies of general use. To this end the invention consists in the specific construction, combination and arrangement of parts described and c1aimed,'a distinctive feature,

being the use of clamp blocks formed with non-rotatable screw studs of opposite pitch in conjunction with a common rotatable clamping nut, in contra-distinction to the method heretofore in vogue of'making the clamping blocks in the form of nuts actuated by and upon a commonreverse pitch screw shaft; the invention also including novel features in the structure of the clamp blocks themselves, and in the means for preserving their alinement etc., all as hereinafter fully set forth.

- In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a plan of my new and improved strap tightening appliance, illustrating its use in connection with theopposite ends of a flat metallic strip binder;

Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, the coupling nut-being broken away in part;

Specifieationof Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1919. Serial No. 322,808.

Fig. 3, is an end view of the device as applied to a packino box, as in the two preceding figures; r

Fig. 4:, is a transverse section of one of the clamping jaws, taken upon plane of line 44, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, is a sectional elevation taken upon plane of line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, isa sectional perspective of the front portion of one of the clamp blocks, the block being broken away in part;

. Fig. 7, is a perspective view of one of the movable jaw plates, inverted;

.Figs. 8 and 9, are viewstaken at right angles to each other, showing a modification in the means for actuating the coupling nut; I

Fig. 10, is a view like unto Fig. 9, show ing the nut released from the ratchet lever.

vFig. 11, is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing a modification.

The clamp blocks B, B, are held in coincidental alinement with relation to each other by means of an alinement rod A, upon which they are slidably mounted, said rod A, extending through. a bearing 5, formed for it in the rear of each block.

The clamp blocks B, B, are likewise-slidably connected with each other by means of the turn buckle-nut N, which engages with non-rotatable screw studs S, S, protuberant from the adjacent sides of the said clamp blocks B, B. These screw studs are preferably, although not necessarily, rigid upon theirrespective blocks, but in any case theyv are non-rotatable thereon; and they are formed with relatively steep screw threads of opposite pitch, the opposite ends of the turn buckle nut N, being correspondingly female screw threaded to engage with the threads on the adjacent screw studs S, S, as will be understood by'reference more particularly to Fig. 5.

The turnbuckle nut N, may be rotated in either direction by means of a slip lever L, as provided for in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, of the drawings,-said slip lever L, being slidable in a transverse central bearing aperture 72, formed for it through the body of the nut; or the turn buckle nut N, may be turned in one direction (that required to draw the clamp blocks toward each other) by a ratchet lever L,.as illustrated in the modiwith a spring pawl Z, mounted on a shaft 7 fulcrumed on the lever and provided with a cam Z, for engagement with the sprlng Z in such manner that the latter may be uti-; .lized either to hold the .pawl in engagement withthe ratchet teeth, or to prevent its engagement therewith, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 9 and 10. Thus the ratchet lever L, maybe utilized to forcibly and positively draw a-band taut, and after the ends of the tightened band have been fastened together the pawl Z, may be held disengaged from-the nut ratchet 'n, by'

means of the cam Z, and spring Z as shown in Fig.- 11, so that the nut may be turned-by direct hand contact to retract the clamp blocks, which, when relieved of the strain of the band, may be readily slid back with-- out much exertion, whereas leverage ofrsome kind is essential to turn the nut during the operation of drawing the band taut. v

' Each clamp block B, is formed with a stationary gripping jaw b, and with a'mov- I able grlpplng jaw IF, the latter preferably in the form of a floating plate controlled by a 'pressure's'cre-wP, mounted on a fixed part 5 of the block andfbearing against the upper side" of said movable gripping plate b Thepressure screw P, is used'to force the movable jaw 6 down against the portion of the end of the strap 'inserted'between said movable jaw and the stationary awe, and

' in this' res'pect itac'ts against the resistance I of the retractllesprings r, 7",wh1ch are 1nterposed between-the said fixed part b of 40 the block and the heads I) of studs 6 at- V tached'to' the movable jaw 6 and protuberant through holesformed for them in the fiizedfp'art 5 as shown more particularly in i igsi e'and 6'. Thus the springs 43'1", tend constantlyto raisethe gripping plate b so that when the pressure screw is retracted, the said plate 12 will automatically release the portion of the strap vagainst which it f 'havebeen 'cl'ampedfthus' facilitating the insertion of a' strap end between the ripping jaws andalso the release thereof; he opposed bearing faces of both clampns; aw 5., bee i toothed, serrated otherwise roughened to augment frictlonal contactwith a fiat. metal strap; and they are both preferably grooved coincidentally,

as at 5*,to afford suitable bearings for wire II bail orsstrap, as shownmoreparticularly in Figs 6"ai1d7 so that my tightening device is adapted for use in connection with wire straps 'as well asflat ribbon strips, both of which areincommon use. I I

It is to beunderstood that the wire-groove 7%, may be formed in one or both of'the'gripping jaws Z2,, Zi as'mayj be found most expedient, so that I do not limit invention clamp blocks being formed with a--station-' ary'cla-mping jaw anda movable clamping jaw, ai1d with a binding screw for forcing the movable jaw toward the stationary aw for the purpose of positively gripping and holding'the end of a binding-strip between said jaws, together with springtension means arranged to tend constantly to separate said movable clamping jaw from the stationary clamping jaw. I V

2. A strap tightening appliance of the character designated, comprising slidable clamp blocks formed with opposite pitch non-rotatable screw studs, a rotatable turn buckle nut engaging therewith, an alinem'ent rod onwhich' said clamp blocks are slidably: mounted," and"levera-ge means for actuating said turnbuckle nut,'each of said claIn-p blocks being formed with a stationary clamping jaw and a movable clamping jaw, and with a binding screw for forcing the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw for'the purpose of positively gripping and holding the end of a binding strip between said-jaws'a'nd the opposed surfaces of the said clamping jaw's being roughened for contact with a flat metal binding strip.

' 3; A- strap tightening appliance of the character designated} comprising slidable clamp blocks formed with 1 opposite pitch non-rotatableis'c'rew studs, a rotatable turn buckle 'nut engaging therewith, an alinement rod on which said clamp blocks are slidablymounted, and leverage means for actuating said turn buckle nut, each of said clamp'blocks beingformed with a stationary clamping jaw and a movable clamping jaw, and with a binding screw for forcing the movable'jaw toward the stationary jaw for the purpose of positively gripping and holding the end of a binding strip between I said jaws, one or both opposed faces of the ary clamping jaw and a movable clamping for contacting with a round wire binding jaw,. and with a bindin screw for forcing strap, and also roughened for contact with the movable jaw towar the stationary jaw a fiat metal bindin stra for the purpose of positively gripping and SI NE J. ORNSTON. 10 holding the end of a binding strip between Witnesses:

,said jaws, and the opposed faces of the said DOROTHY MIATT,

clamping jaws beingcoincidentally grooved G110. WM. MIA'I'I. 

